Good morning Reader!

Last week, a reader (Hi Gloria!) ask why I never list Vanguard's Cash Plus account in the interest rate roundup below. Here's my answer:

I don't list the Vanguard Cash Plus Account because the yield is only 3.35% APY (that includes a 0.25% boost that they will remove on 4/30/26), which makes it lag behind most other banks. It's just not competitive. I love Vanguard though, I have most of our investments there, but the Cash Plus account isn't that great.

Vanguard's Money Market fund (VMFXX) has a higher yield, 3.58% APY, and is roughly as safe (it's not FDIC insured and technically money markets can lose money, but rarely do).

​VBIL is Vanguard's 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF and even that has a higher yield (3.56%) and I list that because your earnings are not subject to state and local taxes, which makes the effective yield even higher.

I think the product is fine and fits a purpose but I don't see a reason for someone to open one up if they want to maximize their yield.

💲 Best Bank Rates (as of 3/25/2026):

• High Yield Savings - 4.21% APY from Axos​
• Short Term Treasury - VBIL - 3.56%
• Certificates of Deposit (see 30k+ rates on CD Valet)
  • 🔍 We list nationwide rates, CD Valet has many local rates which may be higher so click through to double check.
  • Best: 4.25% from TBO Bank (5mo)
  • 6 months: 4.15% from LimeLight Bank
  • 12 months: 4.15% from Credit One Bank​
  • 60 Months: 4.05% from Credit One Bank​
• Bank Bonuses - $450 US Bank, $400 Truist & BMO, $200 Barclays​

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🧹 Some light financial spring cleaning

If you have 15 minutes to put towards your finances, check out this list of spring cleaning moves you can do when you want to be productive but don't have a ton of time.

Give it a shot:

​👉 14 Quick Money Moves You Should Do Right Now​

📅 Airbnb hack to find alternative listings

Airbnb isn't the only hosting game in town, you can find out if a house is being rented on other platforms by doing a reverse image search!

(the big savings are if you can find the host and book directly, which gives up some consumer protections, or through a smaller platform like a regional property management company)

​👉 How to find Airbnb listings on other sites​

🗞️ In Case You Missed It

Here are some interesting articles you may have missed:

• ​Whales headbutting captured on video - For the first time, researchers have drone footage of sperm whales headbutting each other... which has long been written about in tales like Moby Dick.
• ​FCC bans foreign-made routers [Sherwood] - "The FCC has ruled that foreign-made routers “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”"
• ​Is it better to be a morning person or a night owl? [Popular Science] - "The key isn’t waking up early—it’s syncing your life to your natural rhythm."
• ​The Omnipotence Dilemma [Ness Labs] - "Technically, I can do almost anything. Practically, I’ve noticed a worrying shift: I keep starting new things and finishing very few. It feels like being surrounded by infinite drafts."

What did you think of today's email?​
✅ I Loved It! 🟨 It Was Okay ❌ Not My Favorite​

Talk to you soon!

Jim

PS. Cardpointers is having a 50% off sale - it's a great tool to help you maximize your credit card rewards. Read our full review for more.​

​(see archive of previous emails)​